Chief Executive Officer of the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS) James Paul.
The pregnant heifers imported into the country last month are now out
of quarantine, and the dairy sector is hoping to see a boost in milk
production almost immediately.
Chief Executive Officer of the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS)
James Paul, told The Barbados Advocate that the 159 pregnant heifers
were released from quarantine last week and the farmers will be
seeking over the next few days and weeks to integrate them on the farm
with their other animals.
He said the sector is hopeful that the cows, purchased from the United
States at a cost of $1.275 million, would boost milk production by
about 50 per cent, as he noted that volumes have been down
considerably over the last few years.
“These animals have already been bred and we are hoping in some cases
that the farmers will see an immediate impact on their overall milk
production. There are certain guidelines that farmers have to follow
as they seek to integrate the animals on their farms and get them
settled, and we will try to ensure that they follow those guidelines
in order that we do not compromise the animals in anyway,” he stated.
Paul’s comments came as he reflected on the previous herd of cattle
that was imported back in 2016. He explained that while those cows did
not meet all the sector’s needs, he believes strongly that had those
174 pregnant heifers not been imported then, the dairy sector would be
in a worse position that it is now. With that in mind, the BAS head
said he anticipates that “with proper management” of the most recently
imported cows, they can reap even greater success.
“It is imperative that the farmers follow good animal husbandry
practices and one of the things we are going to do is having a vet
play a special role in terms of monitoring what is happening to the
animals, to ensure that the farmers are following best practices,” he
stated.
Meanwhile, reflecting on the offer of technical assistance for the
dairy sector from Argentina, Paul is welcoming the help, indicating
that the sector has been plagued with numerous issues, in particular
poor nutrition as it relates to forage. With reports that Argentina is
keen to start offering that assistance as soon as possible, he said
the stakeholders in the sector are optimistic that the issues they
face can be eliminated in the very near future.
“In Barbados we tend to take the whole question of forage
availability, grass availability for animals, as something to take for
granted and many Barbadians don’t even see grass as an agricultural
product, but it is an agricultural product. So one of the things we
are trying to do is ensure that farmers harvest the grass at the
correct time so that for instance the nutrient quality of the grasses
would be at their highest,” Paul explained.
He said they also need assistance in managing the genetics in the
industry to ensure that farmers engage in the very best breeding
practices for the animals, and avoid inbreeding at all cost.
“The goal is to breed the animals in such a manner that they breed in
the best characteristics of the cows and develop animals that are good
milkers and provide good volumes for the farms. If for instance we can
get technical advice that would help farmers to get their current
animal husbandry practices right, that is something of course that the
farmers would definitely appreciate,” he stated. (JRT)